You have to watch what you say. You never know who is watching.
And now a hot mic caught a Republican Congressman completely off guard.
Hot Mic Captures GOP Strategy Talks Amid Redistricting Fallout
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., was overheard on a hot mic Thursday outlining potential strategies for fellow California Republicans navigating the state’s newly approved congressional map, which could deliver up to five additional House seats to Democrats in the 2026 midterms.
Comments on District Shifts and Internal Races
The remarks came just before a White House event where President Donald Trump signed a peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In footage captured by a pool camera and shared by a Spectrum News reporter, Issa discussed the implications for Reps. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., and Young Kim, R-Calif.
“Ken has nowhere else to go,” Issa said, referring to Calvert.
“She does have a hard seat she could go to, and I know the administration would look favorably if she would do that,” Issa continued, apparently referring to Kim. “And then if she doesn’t win, you know, she could go to the administration for two years.
“With Ken, we need him exactly where he is, and most of this district is or has been his,” he added. “If anyone else had a claim for it, it’d be me.”
Under the redrawn lines, Calvert plans to challenge Kim in California’s newly configured 40th Congressional District.
Proposition 50’s Impact and Issa’s Stance
California voters approved Proposition 50 in November, authorizing the Democratic-led legislature to replace the independent commission’s 2021 map with new boundaries effective for the 2026 through 2030 elections. The measure, passed by 64.4% of voters, was framed as a response to similar mid-decade changes in Texas that favored Republicans.
The changes have forced several incumbents to adapt, including Issa, whose 48th District shifted from a Republican-leaning area to one with a slight Democratic edge based on voter registration.
Reports earlier suggested Issa was weighing a congressional run in Texas, but he clarified his intentions in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“I’m thrilled to set the record straight, and here’s the truth: Texas House members and residents of that state did ask if I would consider running there following Gavin Newsom’s historically corrupt gerrymander,” Issa said. “I appreciate the opportunity, but California is my home. I told them I’m going to stay in Congress, and I don’t need to go to Texas for that.
“I believe the people of Southern California in San Diego County and Riverside County who elected me so many times will, regardless of registration, consider my record in full and allow me to continue serving them,” he added.
“I can hold this seat, I’m not quitting on California, and neither should anyone else.”
